


The Long Way Home

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, Friendship, Gen, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2013-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-07 12:35:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I like to bring beauty to something that has been neglected.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long Way Home

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 8x17, RESTORATION!

“Hey,” he rolled down the window. “Get in.”

“I'm OK.” she said.

“You're OK? I don’t think so.”

“I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“Blake,” Derek reached over and opened the door. “Get in the truck.”

Nodding, she climbed in. Alex closed the door and rolled the window up. Nights were still cold and being soaked from the rain wasn’t helping one bit.

“This weather came out of nowhere.” She said. 

“Welcome to DC, but you already knew that. There’s a towel in the back seat…you can use it to dry off.”

“Thanks.” Alex reached back for it. “There's an umbrella is in the back of my car. Why I didn’t open the door and get it, I can't even tell you. This is a really big truck.”

“I haul things back and forth for my other work.”

“You have other work?”

“I restore homes.” Derek replied.

“Do you really?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“That sounds like a wonderful thing to do.”

“I like to bring beauty to something that has been neglected.”

“I'm sure you do.”

“So where am I taking you?” Morgan asked.

“Are you sure this isn’t an inconvenience?”

“I'm sure.”

“I live in Alexandria.” Alex said.

“It’s a small world because so do I. See, its no inconvenience at all.”

“I really appreciate this.” She strapped herself in as Morgan pulled off.

“I'm not going to be in tomorrow, there are some other things I need to do. I'm sure that Hotch can give you a ride. He lives in Alexandria too.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. I’ll just take the good car tomorrow.”

“Why didn’t you take the good car a couple of days back?” he asked.

“Well um…my wife left before me.”

“And she left you with the lemon?” Morgan grinned. “That’s not right.”

“I know.” Alex smiled too. “I just need to buy a new car.”

“If its worth saving I know a guy who does great work. He’s my second cousin on my mama’s side; has a garage right outside of Anacostia. He’ll tow as well and won't gouge you for it. I could probably even get you the family discount.”

“That would be great. It’s probably got another 50,000 miles on it with some good work done.”

“That’s definitely worth saving.”

They were quiet after that. The music of the rain, the windshield wipers, and the other cars around them were the only sounds. Alex never minded the quiet. She actually preferred it but rarely got it. Morgan was definitely a person she could be silent with.

“What's your wife like, Blake? You don’t mind my asking do you?”

“No. She’s wonderful. She's a doctor and was with Doctors without Borders for years. She’s taken a leave of absence from there and is doing some work in a DC Free Family Clinic that her friend runs. The traveling was getting to be a little much. It’s ironic that as soon as she’s ready to come home I get a job where I'm gone a lot. I don’t think we’ve ever spent much time together, at least not since the beginning.”

“How long have you been married?”

“As soon as it became legal we tied the knot. But we’ve been together for nine years.”

“Do you have kids?”

“Lish wants kids. I…I just don’t know. Our jobs keep us so busy I don’t even know how we would do it. And we’re surely not getting younger. We’re still talking about it.”

“Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet.”

“I'm not a good swimmer.” Alex replied.

Morgan smiled. He focused on the road, taking a deep breath. This case took a lot out of him. He was actually glad that he wasn’t driving home alone tonight. 

Not thinking about it wasn’t an option. Derek was going to be thinking about this for some time. Just because it was over didn’t mean it was over. That was the thing about memories. They lasted for a lifetime…that wasn’t just a saying.

“What you did with Rodney Harris in Chicago was a good thing Morgan.”

Alex wasn’t sure if she was going to say anything. She wasn’t sure if it was even her place. This wasn’t the kind of conversation one had over coffee. This wasn’t the kind of conversation one had at all. 

That’s what made Alex so in awe of him. Morgan broke the lid off the entire thing. He did it in the national spotlight. He did it in front of the people he loved and trusted. 

He lifted the veil of shame and secrecy. He made it just a little easier for the next kid that came along, though thankfully Carl Buford would never hurt another child again. There were more like him in the world though. Derek’s job, and hers as well, was to put them all in prison.

“I wish I could’ve gotten to him sooner. I've known Rodney my entire life. I had no idea we were in the same boat.”

“No one was talking about it.” she said.

“Some people still aren’t.”

“Are you worried about James?”

“I called him but he didn’t return my call.” Derek said. “We all have to face it in our own time and in our own way. I'm always going to be there for him if he needs me. But I can't make him take a good, hard look. I didn't for decades. I got the hell out and never looked back. He’s not much different than I was at that age.”

“I'm glad you're one of the good guys, Derek Morgan.”

“Being a part of this team, doing what we do, it means everything to me. I'm never down and out as long as you guys have my back.”

“I've got your back.” she said.

“I've got yours too, Alex.”

***


End file.
